Toe-clip attachment for ski

ABSTRACT

A toe-retaining member is displaceably mounted in the body portion of a ski attachment so as to be engageable by the toe of a ski boot. The toe-retaining member has bearing surfaces in engagement with a pair of vertical pivots mounted in the body portion symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis whereby the toe-retaining member may be pivoted on a substantially horizontal plane about a respective one of the pivots to either side of the longitudinal axis. An axially extending rod is linked to the toe-retaining member and is resiliently biased so as to press the bearing surfaces in the direction of the vertical pivots.

United States Patent [191 Covini Oct. 8, 1974 [541 TOE-CLIP ATTACHMENT FOR SKI 3,692,322 9/1972 Frisch 280/11-.35 T 5] Inventor: Lorenzo Covini, Milan Italy 3,709,510 1/1973 Gotz 2.80/11.35 T [73] Assignee: COBER di Cristofanelli Pietro e Primary ExaminerRobert R. Song Covini Lorenzo S.n.C., Milan, Italy Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kurt Kelman 22 Pl d: D 18, 1972 l 1 ec 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 3l6029 A toe-retaining member is displaceably mounted in the body portion of a ski attachment so as to be en- [30] Foreign Application Priority Data gageable by the toe of a ski boot. The toe-retaining Mar. 4, 1972 ltalv 21429/72 member has bearing Surfaces in engagement with a pair of vertical pivots mounted in the body portion 52 us. Cl 280/11.35 T symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis whereby [51] Int. Cl. A63c 9/08 the toe-retaining member y be pivoted on a [58] Field of Search 280/1 1.35 T stamially horizontal Plane about a respective one of the pivots to either side of the longitudinal axis. An [5 References Cited axially extending rod is linked to the toe-retaining UNITED'STATES PATENTS member and is resiliently biased so as to press the I bearing surfaces in the direction of the vertical pivots. 3,638,959 2/1972 Reuge 1280/1135 T 3.685.849 8/1972 Marker 280/1 1.35 T

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDum 81924 a toe-clip attachment for TOE-CLIP ATTACHMENT FOR SKI The present invention relates to improvements in toe-clip attachment for a ski.

According to this invention, such an attachment comprises a body portion having a longitudinal axis and means for affixing the attachment to the ski with the longitudinal axes of the ski and the body portion being in alignment with each other. A toe-retaining member is displaceably mounted in the body portion and has one end engageable by the toe of a ski boot. A pair of vertical pivots ismounted in the body portion symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the body portion and the toe-retaining member has bearing surfaces in engagement with the vertical pivots at an end opposite to the one end. In this way, the toe-retaining member may be pivoted in a substantially horizontal plane about a respective one of the vertical pivots to either side, of the longitudinal axis. An axially extending rod is linked to the opposite end of the toe-retaining member, and a resilient means biases the rod and presses the. bearing surfaces in the direction of the vertical pivots.

The position of the vertical pivots about which the toe-retaining member may be pivoted is such that, up to a certain angle of pivoting or rotation of the toeretaining member about either pivot, under the action of lateral thrust forces, the toe of the boot will remain retained in the toe-retaining member of the attachment. Moreover, upon cessation of such lateral thrust forces, the resilient biasing means generates a torque relative to the center of rotation or the pivoting axis of the toe-retaining member so as to force it back-into its centered position, thereby also centering the boot on the ski while the boot toe remains retained in the toeretaining member. However, when the angular rotation of the toe-retaining member exceeds the limiting value, the toe of the boot will be laterally released therefrom so as to free the boot from the ski.

With such an attachment, the boot may be laterally detached without axial compression of the boot against a rear attachment. The toe-engaging member is displaced forwarding and laterally so that the opening are always tends to enlarge relative to the rear attachment.

The above and other objects, advantages and feaent from the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 shows an axial vertical longitudinal section of a ski according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section along line II-II of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view according to FIG. 2, showing the toeclip attachment in two disengaged end positions. 7

Referring now-to the drawing, the toe-clip attachment is shown to comprise a body portion 1 which may be suitably affixed to a ski (not shown), the illustrated embodiment comprising a plate-shaped attachment member 25 which may be screwed to the ski, permitting rapid attachment and replacement, and also facilitating repairs to the bottom of the attachment. The

tures of the present invention will become more appar- Facing the rear end of the ski, body portion 1 has a longitudinally extending recess receiving a displaceable toe-retaining member 4, a pair of inwardly projecting lugs 2 and 3 defining respective cavities l0 and 11 recessed into the wall of the body portion.

The toe-retaining member represents a bearing for the toe of the boot of a skier and has a bearing surface 5 against which the front edge of the sole of the boot is positioned. This bearing surface has a pair of arms 5a and 5b against which the sides of the boot sole abut.

Member 4 is mounted in the longitudinal recess of body portion 1 by means of screw 7 which extends through the body portion and is held therein by washers 8 and 9, the screw 7 being free to move in cavities l0 and 11, as best seen in FIG. 3. Turning the screw adjusts the vertical position or height of the member 4 and its sole supporting extension 6, this height being adjusted according to the thickness of the boot sole.

The inwardly extending end 4a of toe-retaining member 4 defines a pair of substantially V-shaped bearing faces 12 and 13 positioned at respective sides of the longitudinal axis of the member and symmetrical in respect thereto. A cooperating pair of pivot pins 14 and 15 are mounted in the longitudinal recess of the body portion and engage the V-shaped bearing faces 12 and 13 so that the toe-retaining member 4 may be pivoted about a respective pivotpin in a horizontal plane in a manner to be described hereinafter.

Facing the front end of the ski, body portion 1 has a cylindrical axial bore la inwardly delimited by collar 16. The outer end of bore 1a is closed by shaped nut 18 which is frictionally engaged'with the wall of bore In by means of toroidal gasket 18, which prevents water or ice from entering the bore. Rod 20 has one threaded end 19 screwed into nut 18 while the other end of the rod is linked to end 4a of displaceable toeretaining member 4 by means of pivot pin 22, rod 20 extending through bore 1a and being biased outwardly inthe direction of the front end of the ski by compression spring 17 housed in bore'la and having its respective ends bearing against collar 16 and nut 18. Inthis manner, the rod 20 presses the member 4 with its V- shaped bearing faces l2, 13 against pivot pins 14, 15, as shown in FIG. 2.

The initial tension of spring 17 may be adjusted by driving nut 18 in respect of threaded rod end 19, the nut being notched at- 18a, 18b or otherwise calibrated to indicate the degree of the spring tension. For ready visibility, the notches or calibrations may be differently ing on arms 5a or 5b and the distance thereof from pivots 15 or 14, respectively. This torque is equal to, or less than, the tensioning force exerted upon rod 20 by spring 17, multiplied by the distance between pivot 22v and pivot pints 14 or 15. When the lateral thrust exceeds this limit, the displaceable member 4 is caused to rotate about one or the other of pivots 14 or 15, depending uponthe direction in which the lateral force acts. This causes the member 4 to undergo angular rotation, thereby pulling on rod and compressing spring 17 (see FIG. 3).

If the movement effected by displaceable toeretaining member 4 is contained within the outer limits of the skiers boot, the boot is returned to its central or axial position within the attachment by the torque produced by the tension force of spring 17 when the lateral movement of the boot ceases. If, on the other hand, this movement exceeds this limit, the boot is removed from the toe-retaining member of the attachment and is thus released from the ski entirely.

In FIG. 3, the position of the member 4 when the toe of the boot is released from the right-hand side is shown in full lines. In this case, member 4 is rotated about pivot 14. The release-position on the left-hand side is shown in broken lines. In either case, the rod 20 is pulled by spring 17 to exert a return force upon the displaceable toe-retaining member 4, compelling it to resume the central or axial position shown in FIG. 2.

' What is claimed is:

l. A toe-clip attachment for a ski having a longitudinal axis, the attachmentcomprising a body portion hav- I ing a longitudinal axis, the attachment having means for affixing the attachment to the ski with the longitudinal axes in alignment with each other, a toe-retaining member displaceably mounted in the body portion and plane about a respective one of the vertical pivots to either side of the longitudinal axis, an axially extending rod longitudinally slidably mounted in the body portion, one end of the rod being pivotally connected to the opposite end of the toe-retaining member, the other end thereof having an abutment member, and a resilient means acting between the abutment member and a rear portion of the body portion for biasing the rod and pressing the bearing surfaces against the vertical pivots.

2. The toe-clip attachment of claim 1, wherein the bearing surfaces in engagement with the vertical pivots are substantially V-shaped recesses in the opposite end of the toe-retaining member.

3. The toe-clip attachment of claim 1, further comprising means for vertically adjusting the toe-retaining member in the body portion, the vertical adjusting means including a screw having respective ends threadedly engaged in the body portion, and the body portion defining cavities permitting displacement of the screw ends bearing against the collar and the nut. 

1. A toe-clip attachment for a ski having a longitudinal axis, the attachment comprising a body portion having a longitudinal axis, the attachment having means for affixing the attachment to the ski with the longitudinal axes in alignment with each other, a toe-retaining member displaceably mounted in the body portion and having one end engageable by the toe of a ski boot, a pair of vertical pivots mounted in the body portion symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, the toeretaining member having bearing surfaces for engagement with the vertical pivots at an end opposite to the one end, whereby the toe-retaining member may be pivoted in a substantially horizontal plane about a respective one of the vertical pivots to either side of the longitudinal axis, an axially extending rod longitudinally slidably mounted in the body portion, one end of the rod being pivotally connected to the opposite end of the toeretaining member, the other end thereof having an abutment member, and a resilient means acting between the abutment member and a rear portion of the body portion for biasing the rod and pressing the bearing surfaces against the vertical pivots.
 2. The toe-clip attachment of claim 1, wherein the bearing surfaces in engagement with the vertical pivots are substantially V-shaped recesses in the opposite end of the toe-retaining member.
 3. The toe-clip attachment of claim 1, further comprising means for vertically adjusting the toe-retaining member in the body portion, the vertical adjusting means including a screw having respective ends threadedly engaged in the body portion, and the body portion defining cavities permitting displacement of the screw therein.
 4. The toe-clip attachment of claim 1, wherein the body portion defines an axially extending cylindrical bore, the rear portion is a collar delimiting one end of the bore adjacent the opposite end of the toe-retaining member, the abutment member is a frictionally engaged nut closing an end of the bore opposite to the one bore end, the rod having a threaded end screwed into the nut, and the resilient means is a compression spring housed within the bore and having respective ends bearing against the collar and the nut. 